Fallout: The New World Order
by old leg
Summary: A traveler amongst the wastelands of West Virginia seeks his purpose. Along his travels he encounters new faces, both friendly and foe. As he travels further, secrets of treason and betrayal are revealed.  No resemblance to Fallout.***Canceled***
1. Chapter 1: New Beginning

**"Never be surprised by the way that people act. We might have freewill, but our minds can trap us."**

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><p><strong>The<strong> sun stretched out low across the mountainous horizon. As the wind blew it kicked up small swirls of dust and dirt. Buzzards circled distant areas, presumably over a corpse.

You get used to that kind of thing out in the wasteland. My name is Josh Redel, and I'm a survivor of the worst war this world has ever seen. Living off that lands and making daily decisions harder than most people will ever encounter in their life time. I live a daily life of challenges that never fail to test my strength and endurance. The people I meet live the same life, yet they seem to live it differently.

What I mean by that is everybody deals with this constant pain differently. Some people embrace it, others are embraced by it. Some people still haven't figured out what end of the spectrum they fall on. In today's world, you can only choose so many paths.

There is the average traveler, who like me, roams mindlessly from town to town without any purpose. We usually travel until we die. Who cares anyway, right? Nobody gives a damn about the travelers, and in fact, most people don't like them at all. The only thing they do is take supplies from the towns they visit. It's a hard life choice, but I find that it keeps me busy. Otherwise I'd just end up killing myself like the other burn-outs.

Aside from travelers are raiders. They tend to travel around the outskirts of the towns (I assume this is because it's out of firing range of the city walls). They're a bunch of mean bastards who believe they are tough shit. Truth is, once they've got a few holes in them, they run like the cowards they are. They tend to pray on the travelers and the occasional, weary passerby. Oh, I forgot to mention their sick ways of entertainment. They enjoy dressing up in fresh killed animal skins (and in some cases, human skins) and torturing each other by tearing limbs off.

The last type of survivor out here would be the ones who sit in the towns and rot. Literally, they serve no purpose to this world. They just sit out in the sun and take up whatever oxygen is left. I guess the only purpose they do have is giving you a place to sleep, food to eat, and stuff to barter. But other than that, I can honestly say I'd rather they all die. They believe that their little towns have rules and laws I'm suppose to follow.

The wasteland holds no rules or laws these days. After the bombs dropped the military tried to maintain whatever order remained amongst the ash and rubble. That military was referred to as the Brotherhood of Steel. Basically they're just testosterone filled jack-asses with time on their hands and expensive rifles on their backs. After they dropped hard, the NCR formed and came to power. Now they have control around bigger cities such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, and those sorts. Fortunately, out here in the hills of West Virginia, they don't pop up much. I guess you could consider us lucky for that reason, and the fact that only about one nuke actually hit this state.

About me, I have a story, a long one at that. But when people ask me, I just shrug it off. I don't talk much, it could lead to friendship. I've seen too many friendships ended by betrayal and bullets. I just go into town, get what I need, and get out. Which is exactly what I was doing that night when I met Jason Cununk.

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><p><strong>I<strong> trudged up to the gate; my backpack weighed down with a freshly killed deer. Big yellow, neon letters spelled out, "Red-Rock". They were surprisingly clean, as were the walls that stood around it. It was all wood and not the scrappy sheet-metal that usually surrounded towns.

A man stood up high on the wall holding a rifle in both hands. He wore a beat up old white hat that displayed a distinct American flag. He chambered a round and shouted in a raspy voice "Let me see your hands and state you business!"

I lifted my right hand and reached back pretending to scratch my side. I was really keeping my hand close to my .357 holster. I looked back up at him and squinted at the light, "Just looking for a place to stay."

He didn't lower his weapon, "What if we're full?"

I sighed and lowered my hand, "I've got plenty of deer in my bag, more than I could eat before it spoils."

After a few moments of trying to maintain his tough appearance, he stood back and the gates slowly opened.

I stepped forward through them, and into a whole new world. The first thing I noticed was that the town was wrongly clean. It seemed as if nothing had touched it at all. The streets were black with asphalt, and the streetlights shined bright overhead. The buildings looked freshly painted, and the grass seemed….cut.

I set my sights on the line up of people sitting around a big building farther down the street. It had an old Western sign with the name "Moe's Bed and Rest," painted in big red letters above it. It looked more like an old timer bar than the normal ones around towns. You know, they're the kinds that are famous for their shootouts and bar fights.

I started walking towards it eagerly, but was stopped abruptly as I collided with a woman carrying two whicker buckets. I stepped backwards as hundreds of blueberries spilled all across the ground, and on my boots.

My gaze drifted back up to a girl who could've been a model before the war. She had long dark curls that played around her cheeks and chin. A small nose sat between two beautiful, dark brown eyes covered slightly by long eyelashes. And her body, like I said, she could be a model. She wore a tight gray shirt and blue jeans that fit her perfectly. Unfortunately I couldn't see her smile at the moment because her mouth was parted and she was staring down at the mess.

"I'm…sorry," she said in a soft, shy voice.

I bent down to the berry pile and sighed, "A 'lil dirt never hurt nobody." I looked back up to her eyes which were staring back into mine, "I apologize, I didn't see you coming."

She knelt down beside me and began stuffing the berries back into the basket.

I reached out to help, but she grabbed my hand. I looked at her confused.

"No, you're…" she said slowly.

I took my hand back and slowly stood up, "Dirty right?"

She didn't answer; she just stared at my boots.

I nodded, tipped my hat, and started walking away.

"Wait!" she called.

I turned quickly and tossed a few bottle caps her way, "Here!"

I walked into the bar and scanned around the area. I quickly thought, these people are all fools. I literally couldn't see anybody packing. Not a single firearm in the area. They better hope that the Mr. Rodgers sitting on the wall at the gate can keep the bad guys in line. There were a few men towards the back of the bar playing cards, two guys at the bar, and couple eating at a table in the middle.

I sat down at the bar and the bartender walked over cleaning a glass like a stereotypical bartender should.

He had a black, bushy mustache and a bald head. "What can I get ya'?"

I coughed and checked the wall behind him. I spotted the Jack Daniel bottle No. 7 sitting atop a shelf. "Jack Daniel, on the rocks. You got rooms?"

He grabbed the bottle from the shelf, "Yeah, 100 caps and it's yours three days, two nights."

"What about one night?" I asked as he poured the drink in front of me.

"25 caps, why are you in such a hurry to get out of town?" he asked raising a brow.

I grabbed the drink and took a long, much needed drink. Wiping my mouth I replied, "I don't know, you tell me."

He shrugged and walked back to the other side of the bar. Then the two men to my right got into a heated argument over something. I decided to try and listen in without making it obvious.

"You backstabbing bastard! You were supposed to bring him back!" one of them shouted. He was a skinny guy, like a ghoul. A raggedy beard covered his face and long, black hair covered the rest of his head.

"I tried," the other man said deeply, "but I told you there were too many of them!"

He had a bit better physique about him with broad shoulders and bigger muscles. He had short brown hair and a clean shaven face.

The second guy went to sit down, and accidentally knocked over his drink and spilled it all over the bar. It dripped off the edge onto my jeans.

I downed the rest of my drink and looked back up at him. He stared back at me with anger in his eyes.

"You got a problem?" he asked in a fake voice.

I laughed, "Well considering you spilled your drink on me, you might want to apologize."

"Piss off!" he said before turning around.

I bit my lip and stared daggers into his back. "What?"

He turned back around, "I said PISS OFF!"

I stood up and my stool tipped backwards. His eyes let me know that he just realized my size was a lot bigger than he had thought. "Yeah, that's what I thought you said..."

He popped open a knife and backed up, "Look, I don't need this shit right now," his voice getting flimsier.

I walked towards him, "Boy, you come at me with a knife, you better be ready to use it."

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	2. Chapter 2: Getting Softer Inside

**"I can never understand why people do what they do. Quite honestly, I don't believe anybody can decipher human interactions accurately. Now it seems that once the world has gone to hell, the people have gone with it..."**

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><p><strong>The<strong> 4 inch stainless-steel blade glinted in the lights. He tossed it hand to hand, trying to look like a hard-ass.

I grinned, "That's a neat trick, but the problem with being flashy is that it lets your guard down." With a swift kick, the knife was out of his control and clattering across the floor towards the door.

He stared at me in embarrassment. "Who are you?"

I removed my leather, old fashioned cowboy hat and ran a hand through my hair, "A traveler." I turned back to the bartender, "I believe this gentleman will be picking up my tab."

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><p>I walked out of the bar and back out onto the streets. A drunken man laid on his side in a deep, intoxicated sleep with a puddle of drool slowly forming around his face. The sky was beginning to cloud up, and the wind blew hard.<p>

I took out a cigarette and lit it up. Even though rules no longer existed, I still went outside for my cigarettes. The fresh air always welcomes me.

I leaned against a wooden post that shined orange in the lights from the bar window. A light flickered on down the street, and I turned to see the woman I had ran into before.

She approached me carrying water buckets balanced on a pole run across her shoulders.

I looked her up and down again, "Wow, you work like a slave."

She looked down at the ground, "That's because I am."

I coughed on the cigarette smoke, "You-a slave? Why?" I got closer to her and whispered, "How?"

She looked up at me with her brown eyes. Her pupils were like little tunnels that seemed to go forever. "I can't be talking to you…"

I placed my hand on her shoulder as she tried to pass me, "Who says you can't?"

She looked left to right, and then back to me. "Jonesy will kick me for sure if you don't let me go."

I leaned closer to her, and her wonderful scent hit me. I couldn't make it out for sure, but I could say it was a honey smell. Maybe that was another job of hers. She stared at me with a growing fear and anxiety.

I took the cigarette from my mouth and blew the smoke downwards, "Life's tough, huh?"

She nodded solemnly and began to walk away.

"Wait," I called out. She turned her head back and slowed her pace. "Can I get your name?"

She looked up and down the street, "Ashley…"

She hesitated, like she wanted to say something else, but just looked into my eyes. Those eyes could tell a story all too well. I watched her disappear around the street corner.

She wasn't gone for long though, as a group of men pushed her back out around the corner about twenty yards away. She tripped onto the road and the water buckets crashed with her. The men laughed together and began to form a circle. There were only three of them; all built small and wearing overalls. It's not unusual to see gangs in the cities these days, but these guys fit the description of 'phonies'.

"Well, well, well. It's my little slave girl, "one of them said. He appeared to be a figure of leadership in the group. He had the cleanest clothes, with black greased hair…typical. To the best of my knowledge, and considering he called her 'my little slave girl', that must be Jonesy

I turned my attention back to my cigarette. They're hard to come by in the cities, but in the wasteland these things are a dime a dozen. I blew rings of smoke to the sky and took another long drag.

"Please," she tried to reason but one of them stepped closer to her.

I held the cigarette and began to grind my teeth. I don't normally get myself involved in other people's affairs, but this was a tempting ordeal. If there is one standard that I still carry with me too this day, it's that woman are not punching bags. Once Jonesy picked her up and began smelling her hair, my hand was shaking from gripping the cigarette so tight.

She began crying, and the men just began laughing even louder. I started making my way over, when suddenly a man ran out of nowhere holding a gun. I stopped dead and pressed up beside a house.

"This is just cruel, get your filthy hands off her!" the man shouted. He was shorter than me, but a bit taller than them. He was wearing a tight gray shirt that hugged close to his muscles along with boot-cut jeans.

Jonesy began backing up as the other two pulled out pistols of their own. The scene was getting ugly fast, and I decided it was time to make a move. I looked across the street from me at a row of white houses. I decided that if a shootout ensued, there would be a hostage situation to deal with. The best bet would be to take out the man holding that hostage.

I quickly ducked in between the houses and made my way quietly across the backyards.

I hurdled over a small, white picket-fence and peered around the corner of the house. Jonesy stood still now on the edge of the street. I had no time to make up a plan, for the shooting had just begun.

Three shots were fired, and the two gang members collapsed into a heap before the rescuer. I began walking up, keeping my cool and acting normal.

The hostage situation was escalating as a gun was placed to Ashley's temple.

"This slave ain't worth the two men you just killed!" Jonesy yelled.

I stood behind him, about a foot, took a drag on my cigarette, and blew the smoke around his head.

Slowly, he twisted his head back to see my grinning face. Smoothly, I placed my .357 eye level with him.

"Now, move the gun away from her head slowly…"

He obeyed me with wide eyes and awaited further instructions.

I puffed smoke into his face, "Good, now, slowly, let that hammer down…"

He cautiously clicked the gun into a safe position and let it hang limply from his thumb. "Please, D-don't kill me."

"Oh, I'm planning on it, hand over the girl and back up a few steps."

As soon as she was released, Ashley curled into my arms and hugged me tight around the waist while the man put his hands up and backed away slowly.

"Hold on now," I said."Before I decide whether or not to let you live, I'd like to know what you called this girl before…Jonesy…"

He gulped and looked from her to me, "S-slave girl?"

I nodded and spit the cigarette butt to the ground. Then with the best jack-ass voice I had to offer, "Do, do you think you might want to rephrase that a little?"

His hands were trembling now, and he looked at the ground and said, "Nice…not slave lady…"

I rubbed Ashley's shoulder and looked down at her, "Yeah, that's better. I actually like 'Pretty, kind lady who does the work for the lazy pricks'. Don't you think that sounds good?"

He gulped again and nodded.

"Alright, run off now and don't let me see you again," I ordered while slipping my .357 back into it's holster.

The man turned quickly, and I looked up just in time to see the muzzle flash. A bullet rocketed through Jonesy's head and splashed blood onto my face.

Ashley shrieked as the man collapsed to the ground. I immediately looked up to see the rescuer holding his pistol aimed in our direction.

"Release her and back the _fuck_ up!" he instructed.

I pulled Ashley closer to me, and she looked up into my eyes, "No, just do what he says..."

"Why should I?" I protested

"He's my boyfriend!" she explained.

I clenched my jaw and stared back at her eyes. _This bitch doesn't give a damn about me or what I just did. Smooth Josh, real smooth. Should've let them all kill each other off because this is how it always ends!_

"You have 10 seconds!"

I looked back at him and fingered my holster strap. My tone was as cold as ice, "I'm the fastest, because you're either quick or dead. I'm better than anybody in this entire god-forsaken wasteland. Don't _fuck_ with me or you're already dead..."

The man was taken aback by my comment, but stayed steady.

"Don't do this..." Ashley begged. I looked back down at her, and quickly shoved her out of my way. Once she was on her hands and knees in the grass, I turned back and squared myself with the man. I stared at him through the brim of my hat, wiggling my fingers and cracking my thumbs in my fists.

_This poser is foolish; challenging me is like kicking the devil in the balls. Nobody can compete..._

I waited for my chance, and it finally came. The first twitch of his lip, the first abnormal movement in his position. The _very second_ the thought even came to open his mouth, I struck.

In a flash, my revolver was drawn and a shot was fired. I hit my mark easily, and the pistol's barrel broke in two pieces causing the magazine to drop to the ground.

I had my .357 re-holstered before he even had time to flinch or Ashley could scream.

I smirked, "If anybody asks who killed these people, it was all you. I was never here..."

The man scowled at me and nodded as Ashley ran to his side.

She sobbed as I walked away, "What are we going to do? We can't stay in town!"

"I don't know!" he replied.

"We can't survive out there alone!"

"I realize that! What the hell do you want me to do!"

I stopped in my tracks, and laughed inside.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading! <strong>

**Please take some time too subscribe, comment, review, etc.**

**More chapters coming soon!**

**Looking for more stories? Check out the author Renowned Ardor!**

**- **_**Legkicker**_


	3. Chapter 3: Getting Stronger

"**It all depends how you look at things. Sometimes you might see an endless task filled with challenges that are impossible to overcome. Others just see it as an opportunity…"**

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><p><strong>The<strong> moon shined a silver pathway back up to the bar. I didn't waste any time getting up into the upstairs motel and grabbing a room. Clicking the door shut I removed my hat and flattened out on the bed. I was asleep as soon as I closed my eyes.

I awoke again around eleven the next morning, and the sun was flooding into the room. I was surprised how ornate everything was. It was all wooden, with a nice rug and candles lighting the wall. I looked out the window, and noticed a growing crowd. Squinting to get a better view, I saw a small stage set up and a man walking back and forth in front of two others. Further observation led me to realize it was Ashley and the man from last night. This was no talent show, it was an execution.

I bolted from my room, but immediately stopped halfway down the stairs. You really think you make a difference? Whether you save them or not, they'll become nothing but a memory. A passing wind that makes you shiver.

No, this was different.

I run out of the bar, which was empty, and was immediately met by two guards.

"Easy, boy, they've still got about five minutes before the hanging," one of them said.

I tipped my hat and continued to walk into the crowd. I kept my head down and bumped shoulders until I was in the middle of the mass. Once I was in the clear, I looked up. Ashley was staring at me, tears flowing, and mouthing "please". The last thing I needed was for her to blow my cover, so I just gave her a light nod. Then I began scanning the area for a plan. There was only one guard at the top beside the executioner and the town herald. I guess they decided to go light on security because this was just a slave and a low-life.

The nooses around the prisoners necks were tied above them on a cross bar. Another rope attached to the bottom of the drop plates was going to be cut to let them drop.

"On account of murder, Jason Cununk, and Ashley Santel are herby sentenced to death by hanging. There is no room for violence in this town, but murder is intolerable. Any act of disrespect towards the town or people shall be punished severely!" the herald cried.

He then backed away and the executioner raised his sword.

I had no choice; I had to take out the executioner. There was no need for speed, just the surprise. I raised my pistol, took aim, and eliminated the guard with a squeeze of the trigger. The gun flashed, the smoke poured out, and the people jumped. As quickly as I had shot, mass chaos followed.

"Guards, seize him!" the herald cried.

I pushed my way up to the front of the stage and fired two more shots into the executioner. A bullet rocketed past my head and exploded shards of wood off of the stage. Ducking instinctively, I turned around and fired my remaining 3 shots into the other two guards by the bar. Easy, I thought, until I turned to see the herald charge me with the executioner's sword.

I didn't react in time, and he slashed my shoulder open. With a grunt, I took the pistol and whipped him across the face. He swung a punch, and I caught it, pulling him hard in my direction and smacking his head off the stage floor. As he backed up holding a hand on his nose, I kicked the sword from his hand. Before he could recover, I landed two more rib shots and one to the jaw. He finally took another swing, which I brushed away with my left hand and countered with my right. Enraged, he went for a full tackle, and I ducked low, picked up his legs, and flipped him over my shoulder. He landed on his back and began gasping for air.

I unsheathed my knife and quickly jammed it into his chest, "Here, this should help!"

After taking my knife back, I ran up the stairs and began untying Ashley. She was no longer crying, but in shock.

"Hurry, untie him and follow me!" I ordered while reloading my .357. Ashley remained frozen, so I had to cut Jason's rope. Then they followed without question, like birds following the flock leader.

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><p><strong>We<strong> made our way towards the city gates by dipping and ducking in between houses and buildings.

"Jason, hurry!" Ashley called. I turned to tell her something, when suddenly, a feral ran around the corner. It stopped between Ashley and Jason, looking for us.

Before Ashley could scream, I covered her mouth and pulled her tight to the wall.

"Shh…they're blind without movement…" I whispered through her hair.

Feral ghouls are nasty creatures. They are like skeletons with minimal, brownish colored skin covering their insides. Their eyes also tend to have green tint. When they attack, they growl and use their corroded fingernails to slash at you. Yeah, they sure are mean bastards, but a well placed bullet will kill anything.

We began backing away slowly, but its head snapped onto us and it let out a breathless shout. I quickly placed Ashley behind me, and the ghoul was on top of me in the same second growling and hissing. I placed my arms between us and began pushing it away as its face neared mine. The glowing eyes were burning into mine as its claws dug deep into my skin. I stared into its gapping mouth full of broken and bloody teeth.

"Jason! Do something!" Ashley called.

Hell no, nobody needs to save me, I'm the best. Time to just bite the bullet, Josh.

I twisted my hands up onto the ghoul's shoulders and gripped them tight. Then, I jerked the ghoul towards me hard and swung my head into its face. The ghoul reeled upright and hissed to the sky. I unsheathed my knife, grab its left arm, pulled it to the right, stabbed it, and slammed it into its body. The end result was a ghoul arm and body shish-kabob. The ghoul was crying in pain, and I decided that we were making enough noise already to end its suffering with a bullet.

Once the feral was lying dead on the ground, I removed the knife and wiped the blood on my shirt. Shouting from the streets arose, and I quickly took Ashley's arm and pulled her after to me. Once we saw the out of the alley, we stopped dead in our tracks.

Feral ghouls were running rampant across town attacking people. The local guards were trying to hold them off with automatics, but it just wasn't enough. As more ghouls jumped the fences and gate walls, it seemed that the city was taken for sure. I'd seen this happen before...

I looked into the city square, and noticed a tall ghoul. He was dressed in thick black and red armor, unlike any of the others. He wasn't feral, that was for sure, and when he turned to me his eyes burned red. He stared right at me-right through me. He raised his hand and clutched it tight, letting dust float in the wind.

I turned back to Jason, "Does this happen often?"

"Never," he replied looking from the street to my hand holding Ashley's. I released her.

"Come on, stick to the wall and we can get out alive."

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><p><strong>We<strong> managed to get passed the ghouls quietly, and by the time we reached the gate the screams and shouts had stopped. Everybody had been killed or was in hiding.

We quickly sprinted into the woods nearby, running past the greenish-yellow plants and trees and made it across the stream that ran from town. Ashley tripped on the riverbank and landed on her hands and knees. I turned back to look, but proceeded to scan the area.

"Aren't we far enough?" Jason asked.

I glanced at him, and then continued looking around the area. I've seen this once before, and I was lucky to survive then.

"I don't know, you tell me." I answered walking back towards them.

Jason helped Ashley to her feet, "I would think so, it's about a mile back by now. Let's just slow it to a walk?"

I put my hand up and laughed, "I wasn't asking you guys," I turned to the forest again. "I was actually asking you raiders…"

"Raiders?" Jason asked with fear in his voice.

I nodded as the raiders slowly crept forth from the shadows. "Yeah, they let the ghouls do their dirty work…"

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading!<strong>

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_**- Legkicker**_


	4. Chapter 4: Heading Out

"**Thieves are criminals not only of the material objects, but of the mind. They can creep up behind you and get inside your head. What did they steal?"**

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><p><strong>The<strong> river lapped endlessly against the rocks. As the five raiders surrounded us, I looked to the sky, it was beginning to cloud up, but the sun still poked through. It was still a beautiful place in West Virginia. The trees still had green leaves and it looked as if nothing had touched the whole state. I loved it here.

Ashley and Jason backed up closer to me.

A raider wearing a deer-head skin approached and greeted us with a black-toothed smile. "Well, well, our first…escapees…"

I tipped my hat, as always, and said, "Morning, what's a jackass like you up to on this fine day?"

He took no offense, they never do. "We were just looking for some new…scalps."

I smiled and mouth "ah". Looking back to Ashley and Jason I said, "Well we were just looking for some fresh air."

The raider laughed, and turned around to his friends. They all laughed along with him, until I snatched the raider and placed my .357 to his head.

"Haha, it is pretty funny huh? I was actually out looking for some raiders to beat the shit out of. You wouldn't happen to know any, would you?" I asked sarcastically.

The other raiders readied their spears, but held their ground.

He laughed and began, "You-"

I pulled the trigger and the bullet exploded through his skull. "Sorry, you took too long."

The other raiders didn't advance, and they said nothing.

"Anybody else know some raiders?" I asked.

One of them stepped forward quickly, and raised his spear. With a shout, he heaved it towards me. I ducked it, and fired into his stomach. He jerked backwards and fell to the ground as the other charged. I fired a shot into one wearing another deer-head, and I used two shots to stop one from impaling Jason.

Then, out of nowhere, another one tackled me. We hit the ground hard, and my gun clattered away. She recovered first and began crawling for it. I quickly regained focus and dove onto her back, putting my hands over her eyes. She swung and elbow up and caught my cheek, making me roll off of her. I cocked my leg back and kicked her in the side. She rolled over and I began crawling for the gun. Just as I got my hands on it, she was on top of me.

I slowly struggled to turn myself over underneath her, and tried to maneuver the gun up to her. She realized my intention, and grasped the gun in her hands. With gravity and downward pressure on her side, she began pushing the barrel towards my face.

"Little raiding bitch!" I grunted.

She growled as I started pushing the gun her way. Suddenly her growling stopped, and she began desperately whimpering while the barrel neared her face.

"That's right, you raiders are all the same! Tough except when it counts!" I hissed.

I placed the barrel to her forehead, and was about to pull the trigger, but I made the biggest mistake you can make before killing somebody. I looked into her eyes. They were watery, and were begging for her life.

No, no Josh. Don't be weak, finish her! Damn, why did it have to be her! This poor girl, wasting her life so young, she could only be about 19!

"Don't do it!" Ashley cried.

Jason shouted, "She's killed people! End it!"

Fuck this, I don't need this shit. I flipped her off of me and stood up facing Jason, whose expression was a mixture of disappointment and relief.

Without turning around I said, "If you don't get the hell out of here, I _will_ kill you…"

"Thank…you," she sobbed.

We were about to leave when I heard her say, "I…don't know…how I could…."

I heard a grunt, and then a laugh. I wheeled around and saw her charging me with my knife. I stuffed the barrel of the gun in her mouth, and without hesitation I pulled the trigger. The gunshot was slightly muffled, but the blood sprayed just the same. Her head whipped back, and I could see the river behind her through the hole. After the echo died down, I heard a cough.

I turned to my right and noticed a raider crawling towards a spear. I ended him with my last shot.

Then it was quiet. I continuously clenched and unclenched my jaw. How could I be so stupid? Why the hell would I let a raider get up? I walked over and retrieved my stolen blade.

"Who are you?" Jason asked.

I challenged him with my eyes. "A traveler."

He didn't seem satisfied with my answer. I pushed past him and continued walking into the woods.

"Yeah, but, you kill so…easily…" he explained.

I thought about that, and it was true. "Yeah, I do."

"But how?"

I spun to face him. "Listen, if you want to survive out here, that's what you do. Ever hear the lion and the gazelle saying?" I began walking again.

"No…"

I cleared my throat, "Every morning the gazelle wakes up and knows it has to run faster than the other gazelles if it wants to survive. The lion wakes up every morning and knows it has to run faster than the slowest gazelle if it wants to survive. I'm the lion."

Ashley said, "There are no more gazelles or lions…"

We ducked under a fallen tree and walked out into a grassy clearing.

"So, you're saying the weak die, and the strong survive?" Jason asked.

I nodded, "The BEST survive, and the strong strive. The weak die young."

"And we're…weak?" Ashley asked.

I noticed an old cabin on the far edge of the field, with smoke rolling out of its chimney. That told me it was occupied, and somebody must've been cooking on a fire inside. The temperature was too warm for a heat source.

I slowed down and stopped in the field. "Yes, you are, but we could change that right now…"

Jason seemed amused by this idea. "How?"

"Well," I looked to the sky, the clouds were growing darker, "Do you feel like sleeping in rain outside tonight?"

They glanced at each other. "No?"

I turned back to face the cabin, "Well, I bet it's nice and dry in there tonight, huh?" I spun around grinning.

Ashley had the most disgusted expression on her face.

Jason looked to the ground, "You want us to take the house? Why can't we just ask them to let us in?"

"Where do we go from there? I'm out of ammo, raiders released ghouls in your city, and the forests come alive at night."

Jason looked at Ashley, and then back to me. "What do you need us to do?"

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading!<strong>

**More chapters coming soon!**

**Please feel free to Comment/Review/Subscribe/PM**

**Looking for some more great stories? Check out the author Renowned Ardor!**

_**- Legkicker**_


	5. Chapter 5: Turning Point

"**Humans and animals are still alike in many ways. Everything always leads to the basis of survival. Do not what you want, but what you have to."**

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><p><strong>How<strong> did I end up with these people? I mean, out here, walking around the forests of West Virginia with two people who lived the secluded life. They don't belong here like I did, for they are just mere runaways in love.

"I'm not forcing you to do this, but if you stay with me, you will end up killing…" I explained.

Jason ran his fingers through his hair, "Seems like we have no choice…"

I coughed and began walking across the field. A recent rain stayed soaked in the grass below our feet and squished with every step. The house was pretty small. It was constructed out of wood, and had a door and a window on the side facing us. Once we started getting close, I gestured for them to slow down and keep low. Ashley was continuing to plead Jason not to do it.

"We can't turn into murders!" she said. Funny, I thought. It was so easy for me to change. I guess after you watch your friends and family be raped and slaughtered by raiders, you begin to hate things easier. Right now, I hated how Ashley's voice sounded so squeaky and weak.

I neared the edge of the house, and kept below the window. Slowly, I popped my head up and peered inside. There was a fire going inside a stone fireplace, with a squirrel roasting on a spit above it. The fire gave everything inside a decorative orange glow. To the left of the fireplace was a bed, and to the right was a table with some chairs. Then I saw movement in the bed, and an elderly man rolled into view.

"I can't kill him; he's just an innocent old man!" Jason complained. I turned to him and shrugged. Then I looked back to Ashley, who was shaking her head. Then, without warning, she stood up and began banging on the door. Jason jumped to her side and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"What are you doing!" he whispered harshly.

She turned with a face full of determination, "He'll let us stay the night!"

I watched through the window as the man jumped from his bed. He pushed his glasses back up onto his face and then reached for a shotgun. Here we go, I thought. Jason and Ashley continued arguing as the man backed up a few steps from the door and pumped the gun.

"Who is it! State your business!" he called in a raspy voice.

Ashley and Jason exchanged glances. Then Jason said, "Just some trav-, er, people from town, looking for a place to spend the night…"

The man didn't buy it, "Yeah, you travelers are all the same…" he walked towards the window to get a look, and I ducked low. Once I could see his shadow drift to the ground in front of me, I leaped up and bashed the window with my elbow. The glass rained down and the man froze. I caught him by surprise and ripped the shotgun from his hands. Turning it on him, he backed towards the bed with his hands up.

"Good evening," I said. "Mind unlocking the door?"

He stayed strong, "Hell no…"

I sighed, and shot the gun into the wall beside him. The gunshot echoed into the forest and streams of light filtered through the bullet holes. He jumped up and ran to the door, unlocking it and then running back to the bed.

I relaxed the shotgun onto my shoulder and walked over to the others. I pushed Jason back a little, and then swooped my arm into the doorway, "Ladies first."

Ashley looked from Jason to me, before slowly entering into the house. I waited until Jason moved to push the shotgun into his chest. "One shot, back of the head. Don't shoot too far away or we'll have a mess."

I didn't wait for his answer, and walked in. It was smaller than I expected, with two cabinets of silverware and plates on the front wall. The whole house stretched about 20 feet from wall to wall.

Ashley stayed standing in the middle, waiting for us. The man never took his eyes off of me. I walked right in, removed my hat and rubbed my head. I pulled a chair from the table to the fireplace, and took a seat.

I let out a loud breath, "Well, that was some hiking we did today, huh Jay?"

Jason, clutching the shotgun vertically in both hands, "Um, yeah."

I nodded and looked back to the fire. The squirrel looked delicious, and I gave into the temptation easily. I grabbed the stick it was roasting on, and took a bite off like it was a corndog. My mouth watered with the taste of the warm, cooked meat. Squirrels normally had a rubbery texture to them, but this one seemed a bit more tender than that.

"Mhm-mhm-mhm! That's a good squirrel, and I think, you," I pointed to the man, "made a good choice by not making this into a stew."

He said nothing, just looked at me, licking his dry lips. I could tell how much it was killing him to watch me eat it.

I held the stick towards Ashley, "Here, take a bite!"

She stared at the food, but eventually shook her head, "It's not ours..."

I waved a hand at her, and turned it towards Jason, "It is now…here Jay, all you buddy. Save me a leg though, they might be small but they taste the best in my opinion."

Jason's eyes lit up, I could tell he was hungry. Ashley hit him in the stomach and his eyes snapped to her. Not this time Ashley, I'm working on morphing this guy into a traveler, I thought.

"Oh, come on now! That long day of hiking, crossing the river! Raiders! You're telling me, that this piece of cooked meat," I ripped a piece off and held it towards him, "is all about to be eaten by me?"

Jason hesitated no longer, and took the piece from my fingers like a dog. He scarfed it down, and took a moment to savor the taste.

I grinned, and took another bite myself. The middle was still a little uncooked, so I placed it back onto the spit.

"Good stuff," I said. Then I looked back at the man, who was scowling at us. "Say, where do you keep the ammo for your shotgun?"

"Up your ass," he replied with a smirk.

I nodded, "Yeah, I was thinking you would say that. Alright, kill him Jason."

A silence filled the room. The man stared directly at Jason, who was staring at me.

He knelt down beside me and whispered, "Why? We could let him run away!"

I slowly nodded like I was contemplating that. "Yeah, but we could leave his body out in the field to attract some more food. Buzzards, wolves…mole rats…"

Ashley put a hand over her mouth and looked at the man.

Jason stood back up, shaking his head. "No, I won't…"

I sighed, and patted my laps. I pursed my lips and sucked air in. Hell, you'll come around Jason. I snatched my pistol from its holster and fired into the man's leg with the speed of light. The gunshot cut out quick in the house. Everybody shouted, and the man collapsed from the bed onto the ground.

"Alright Jason, he's just been shot in the leg. He'll survive with some care, but being alone with a gimp leg will kill you within a few days. He can't hunt, fight, or move location," I explained standing from my chair. I paced back in forth in front of the now crippled man.

Jason was bewildered.

"Ever been shot in the leg, Jay?" I asked. He didn't answer. "I ASKED YOU A FUCKING QUESTION!"

He stuttered, "N-no…"

I grinned, "Woo, it hurts like a bitch," I looked at the man, "Like this bitch!" I raised my pistol and fired again, but this time I shot his right hand. He shouted, and began tossing and turning.

"Oh damn, the hand? Now he can't do anything! Talk about slow and painful!" I said getting to the point. "You can end this suffering, with a bullet."

"Why?" Jason yelled.

I stepped into his face and shouted, "Because you need to kill out here! If you don't start then I will!"

I shoved him and he tensed up.

"Do you hear me? Shoot him!" I yelled. Ashley had backed into the farthest corner of the room and was crying hysterically.

I turned my back, but instantly whipped back around with my pistol to Jason's head. "You try to raise that gun on me; I'll kill you, the man, and Ashley."

Jason was so lost. He had no idea what to do. I walked over, grabbed the man by the collar, and dragged him out the door. He was coughing and yelling profanities.

"The thing about losing blood," I began talking again, "Is that you see it all. You watch the black dots appear in your vision. It's like the hand of death saying, 'guess who'!"

I stormed back into the building, realizing that there was one way that Jason would listen. I pushed past him and placed my gun to Ashley's head. She screamed and pressed up against the wall in a feeble position.

"Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa!" Jason said putting a hand up. He took a step towards me and I clicked the hammer back, freezing him in his tracks.

"You're going to make choices out here! The difference between life, and death, is sometimes a yes or no question!"

Jason tried to plead with me. "Then you shoot him!"

I cocked my head to the side, "Really? Shoot _her_? Alright…"

Jason jumped back towards the door, "No! I'll do it, I'll do it!"

I crouched beside Ashley, and clicked the pistol back into a safe position. "I didn't plan on getting you involved."

She continued crying and covering her eyes. I cupped my hands around her ears and waited for the gunshot. I don't exactly know why I did that because she had already been exposed to some pretty horrible stuff in the past few minutes. It was probably the most intense moments she'd ever lived through in her entire life. Actually, everything in the past few days were probably pretty traumatic for her.

"Please…no," the old man begged. There was a moment of hesitation.

I shouted, "Three! Two!"

He shot before I could say "one".

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading!<strong>

**Chapter 6 coming soon!**

**Please take the time to Comment/Review/Subscribe/Pm me with questions, concerns, or ideas!**

**Looking for more great reads? Check out my other stories or the author Renowned Ardor!**

_**- Legkicker**_


	6. Chapter 6: Winters Call

"**Resilience is a key factor in survival. Like in a boxing match, you're bound to take hits. Being able to take those hits and send them back twice as hard will keep you in the fight."**

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><p><strong>The<strong> winter had crept up fast and unseen. It hit the state hard and the temperature dropped greatly. Fresh snow always coated the ground, and blizzards could pop up at any given time. It had been about four or five weeks since I'd met Jason and Ashley. They'd changed more than I'd expected, with Jason learning the ropes of survival like his life depended on it. Exactly, because his life _did_ depend on it….

Ashley on the other hand was taking more time to come around. The entire first week after Jason gunned down the old man; she went without talking much to either of us. I felt odd, but I couldn't blame her. I think time and time again, that a girl as beautiful as her should not be exposed to the raw nature of this place. I figured, however, that eventually everybody will learn to get used to it.

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><p><strong>The<strong> snow shined bright throughout the day and night hours. The moonlight reflected the white blanket and illuminated our path. The snow was about 3 inches thick, and our boots would occasionally get stuck. We were surrounded by a forest of dead trees, and the path cut through it about 12 feet wide. We didn't know where it led, and as a traveler, you usually don't. A downed tree was lying suspended across our trail.

I stopped walking and Ashley bumped into me with her head down.

"Sorry," she whispered, her breath turning to mist in front of her. Her eyes were even more beautiful in the night; they seemed so dark, but full. She had her hands tucked under her arms and a snow cap pulled down to her eyebrows. She was lucky enough to scavenge a pair of snow-pants one size too small and a winter jacket with a fur-rimmed hood from an abandoned house a few days back.

I brushed some snow off her cap and grinned, "That's okay."

Jason walked up to me and rested his rifle in his arms. "Well? I think we need to find a place to settle down…" he let out a long breath. He was wearing a flannel jacket and hat as well, with a thin pair of gloves and jeans. While he didn't have any snow-pants, he had thermal under-liners.

I nodded and checked the surrounding forest. "Yeah, but I don't see any shelter anywhere." The wind blew, and a snowflake landed on my wrist, melting into a stinging liquid. I noticed I was way too underdressed. I had no gloves, a long sleeved thermal shirt, and jeans. Ashley kept offering me her gloves, but I always refused.

Jason squinted past me. "Is that a light?"

I turned and peered over the fallen log and down the path. Through the snowflakes I noticed a glinting yellow light.

"Raiders?" he asked.

I shook my head, "No, they're like birds, most of them migrate to the warmer areas. More populated."

I lifted my leg up over the tree and slid across to the other side. I turned back and Jason handed me his rifle as he helped Ashley get over next. A stick cracked behind me and I wheeled around. A deer was crossing the path in front of us, picking at the ground.

It was a doe from the looks of it, for it had no antlers or buttons. It was about 20 yards away and had no idea we were there. I slowly raised the rifle and set sights right below its shoulder. I was about to squeeze the trigger, but my survival instincts came to play. If I take this shot, whoever is the owner of that light on the hill will surely hear it. Food beats the element of surprise I suppose, and I began to gently squeeze off the shot. My heart was beating heavily in my chest. The rifle cracked the air, and echoed off into the darkness. The smoke cleared and revealed the deer, lying on its side in the snow. Its legs were twitching, but it only made little movement.

I looked to the hill, and the light showed no change. I turned back to Jason and Ashley who both had open smiles. I couldn't help but to smile along with them. Ashley hadn't moved since the deer walked out, and she slipped onto her feet and waited for Jason to cross. I handed the rifle back to him and walked over to my kill. I unsheathed my knife and immediately went to work cutting the belly open, cautious to not poke through the stomach lining.

Steam rolled to the sky once it was open, and I pushed my hands deep inside. The warmth made me shiver and shift around.

"Come on, it's so warm inside," I laughed. Jason knelt down still smiling, and plunged his hands in. He sighed in relief.

Ashley kneeled beside us, and slowly removed her gloves.

I looked at her, "Don't worry, it didn't feel anything. I got her in the heart," I pointed to the hole. "She was out cold on impact."

Not exactly true, but I knew it would make it less of a burden to her.

Ashley put a ginger hand up under the stomach, disgusted at first, but then happy. "Wow…" she said.

For a few minutes, we just sat there, letting the warmth refill our bodies. Eventually, it began to get colder, and I proceeded to field dress the animal and slung it around my shoulders. It wasn't that big, but it could feed us for a week easily.

We continued following the pathway towards the light. It grew as we neared, and slowly took the form of a window.

I turned my head back, face to face with the deer's chest, "That has to be a candle, I mean, there can't be electricity out here, right?"

Jason shook his head, "If they used to have electricity, they could now. If we follow the power lines, we'd eventually come across a town."

He impressed me in a way. He caught on fast, and seemed that he had already decided to accept his new lifestyle.

* * *

><p><strong>The<strong> house began coming into view now. It must've been blending in with the snow too well to see. It was painted a bright white shade around the outside, and the house was definitely well lit. That meant somebody had to be inside.

We clung close to the edge, just the same way we always did. I settled the deer corpse down on the side of the porch, and we crouch-walked towards a window along the side of the house. I peeked into the window and looked around. The inside walls were a beige color, matching the carpet, and a staircase came down the back wall. A sofa and some leather chairs sat on that same wall, facing a television on the front wall. A man wearing a clean, white shirt walked out of a bathroom, and turned right into another room with hardwood flooring. I was guessing that was the kitchen.

I crouched back down beside Ashley and Jason. Ashley had her chin tucked into her jacket. Her red nose had a little shine in the moonlight. The fur along her hood danced in the wind.

I leaned close to her, "Just a bit longer," I turned to Jason. "One guy inside, and the place looks nice. With electricity running, they must have heat."

Jason nodded and chambered a round in his rifle. I shook my head.

"I don't know Jason, maybe we shouldn't attack. There could be more," I said before turning back to the window. I peered back in, and almost immediately snapped my head back down. The man was now sitting with a woman and a child on the sofa. A movie was playing on the television before them.

I turned back, "It's a family, a dad, mom, and kid. They're watching a movie or something." I thought for a moment with my back to the house. "I say we knock on the door."

Jason tilted his head, "Really? We never just knock on the door I thought…"

I shifted lower and motioned with my hand to move closer towards the porch. "Yeah, but families tend to try and maintain their hospitality. They don't know what the outside world really is yet. They want their kids to be normal, and not bloodthirsty."

We crept slowly onto the porch. It had a large oriental rug stretched across it, and a swing on the right side.

"Alright, Ashley, you talk." I said.

She turned with worry in her eyes, "Me? Why me?"

I put my hand on her shoulder as we neared the white door. "Because, a woman like you is hard to turn down."

Jason poked my ribs with his elbow. I gave Ashley a light push forward to the door.

"Stash the guns…" I said to Jason.

He opened his mouth wide. "Are you fucking with me?"

"Oh, you're right. They probably love armed robbers," I replied.

Jason shook his head and put his rifle up underneath the swing. I removed a machete from my belt and he took out his knife. He handed it to me, but I pushed it back to him.

After I stashed the machete I said, "No, keep that hidden, I got the .357 just in case. You keep that."

He nodded and stuffed it back into its sheath.

I turned back to Ashley and nodded. She stood up, shook herself off, and gently tapped on the door. A few moments passed, and the night wind howled in the distance.

Then the door swung open, and light blinded our eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading!<strong>

**Chapter 7 coming soon!**

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/Pm me with any questions, ideas, or comments!**

**Looking for more great reads? Check out my other stories or the author "Renowned Ardor"!**

_**- Legkicker**_


	7. Chapter 7: Friendly Foes

"**Trust and honesty are virtues in this world. We can trust that people will treat us right, but do we honestly?"**

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><p><strong>The <strong>light from the door was like the morning sun. The man wearing a white shirt stared at us, showing no expression upon his face.

Ashley glanced back at us, and then turned back to him. "I'm Ashley…we're lost, and I don't think we can make it another night in this…"

I was shocked; I didn't plan on her being able to lie like that.

The man opened his mouth as his wife popped up beside him. Her face showed sympathy, "Oh dear, you poor thing. Come on, you all come in!"

The husband just smiled, and oddly showed no signs of protest towards the intruders.

I looked at Jason and shrugged. Sometimes things just go smoothly. We followed Ashley into the house, and were immediately met by a wall of heat. I could feel the frost working its way to melt out of my system.

The house was medium sized. It was tight with a bathroom, kitchen, and living room one the first floor. A staircase led to the second floor, which I couldn't get a glimpse of the rooms up there.

"Here, let me take your coats," the woman offered,"and you can leave your boots at the door."

Ashley tried to grasp the zipper on her jacket, but her hand was shaking. I tugged her to me and zipped it down for her. I don't think it was the cold making her shake.

The husband patted my back, "I'd take your jacket, but you don't have one!" he laughed.

I let out a cold, half-hearted laugh. Trust me buddy, I know I don't have a god-damned jacket.

The wife put a hand on her chest and giggled, and then she gasped. "Oh, where are my manners? We haven't had visitors in so long, I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Mrs. Daniel, and this is my husband Mr. Daniel."

Mr. Daniel put a hand up and said, "Now, now, call us Steve and Tracy," he grinned a white set of teeth.

We slipped off our boots and placed them beside the coat rack.

I noticed the kid was hiding halfway in the bathroom, peering around the edge. I smiled at him, and he jumped behind the door. Tracy followed my gaze.

"Oh, that would be our son…David," she looked at her husband.

He nodded as he set Ashley's and Jason's coats on the rack. "Hey, you guys can take a seat on the couch, we're just watching an old movie."

I realized that Jason and Ashley wouldn't budge first, so I stretched and made my way to the sofa. I took a seat on the left, and Ashley sat on the right. Jason plopped down one of the big leather chairs.

"I bet you're hungry, we're gonna' go fix you something up," Mrs. Daniel said.

Ashley started saying, "Oh, we actually just got-"

I interrupted, "That says great, thanks for everything."

Once Mrs. Daniel and Steve were walking away, I stared daggers at Ashley to let her know that was a stupid move. Steve ran up the stairs and across the hallway.

As soon as they were out of the room, Jason leaned forward. "I don't like these people…"

"I know. Nobody is this nice these days, but, we'll see," I said.

Ashley looked from Jason to me. "I want to leave."

"Where to? Back into the icebox? No thanks, and besides, we're only staying for the night," I said trying to watch the movie. It was some old western.

I noticed the kid was now standing in the middle of the living room, staring at Ashley. He had a black hair that sat like a bowl around his head. He wore a blue-striped, yellow shirt and khaki shorts.

"Hi," Ashley said in a mushy voice.

Then Tracy walked back into the room, carrying a tray of sandwiches. "Alex, go to your room, I said it was bedtime ten minutes ago!"

"Alex? I thought that was David," Jason said as the kid took off up the stairs. I thought for a moment, and realized that Jason was right.

Tracy cocked her head, "Really?" she set the tray down on the coffee table. "David was our older son…he joined the military and died in the war."

Jason shifted uncomfortably, "Oh, sorry to hear that."

Tracy nodded, "Well, eat up, it's fresh!"

I was the first to grab a triangle of bread and meat. I was about to dive in, but stopped short. The meat was thick, and seemed to be uncooked.

"What is this?" I asked still inspecting the sandwich.

"It's turkey, Steve goes hunting," she explained.

I pretended to accept this answer, and a bell dinged in the kitchen.

Tracy jumped, "Oh, the pie!"

Ashley went to grab a sandwich, and I smacked her hand.

"Hey! I'm hungry!" she snapped.

I tossed my sandwich back to the plate. "For what? 'Cause that isn't turkey…"

"What?" Jason said. "What is it?"

I shook my head, "I don't know, but it isn't turkey. I've eaten enough turkey to know that it shouldn't be two inches thick…"

Ashley put her feet up onto the couch and pulled them tight to her chest and tucked her chin in. "I want to leave, now. We don't have the guns!"

I shushed her as Tracy returned holding a pie in oven mitts. She began to slice it down, revealing a red and pink inside.

"Cherry?" I asked.

She continued cutting and didn't look up, "No, it's one of Steve's recipes."

That didn't answer my question well enough. By this point, it was obvious that something was wrong. I was gripping my knee, and rubbing my jeans as Tracy walked back out of the room and into the kitchen again.

"I tell you what, I'll check the place out. You and Ashley just sleep on the couch," I said to Jason.

He stood up, "Sounds good."

I walked towards to the kitchen. It had wooden cupboards and countertops. A window overlooked the sink, and the floor was white tiles. A table sat in the middle of the room, with four chairs around it. Tracy had her back turned and was cleaning dishes in the sink.

I leaned against the doorway with my arms crossed, "Hey, were a little tired so, we're gonna' just get some sleep."

She looked over her shoulder, "Really? Alright, we're going to be going to bed soon too."

I waited a moment, and then walked out of the room wondering how anybody could just accept strangers like they did. That's odd even back in the old days.

I flicked out the lights in the living room, and snuck up the stairs to shut off the hallway lights. I found myself staring at a wooden door with an open padlock. My heart started beating, like it was before I shot the deer. My curiosity slowly took control of my legs, and I began advancing to the door. I pressed my ear to it, and a small humming noise was emitting from inside. I couldn't tell what it was, so I slowly turned the handle. My heart was beating in my ears, and my palms were getting sweaty as I cracked the door open a sliver. Peering inside, a small swinging light hung over a table. It was dark, and all I could see besides the table was something hanging over the edge it, and a dark liquid streaming down the side. I almost jumped out of my skin once Steve walked over in front of the table and clicked something on. The humming noise returned, and the table shook. Then, a muffled cry broke out, and Steve began to beat the table with his fist. I couldn't make out exactly what it was, but it sounded like somebody crying.

I felt like I was going to throw up, and the room seemed to be spinning.

I quietly closed the door and silently ran back down the stairs. I pushed Jason's feet off the coffee table, and ran over to our coats.

"What?" he asked, jumping up to follow me.

I didn't answer, I just handed him his coat and tossed Ashley hers.

"What is it Josh?" Ashley asked.

I tossed them their boots, "Get them on."

Jason stood still, "Why?"

"Fuck, do it NOW!" I ordered. They both sat down and pulled them on, Ashley was struggling with hers, and I walked over halfway through putting my second boot on. I grabbed her boot and tugged it hard up to her shin.

"I can do it!" she complained.

I was just tying my right boot when Mrs. Daniel walked in wiping off a butchers knife with a rag. "Whoa, where are you off too?" the knife glinting in the television's reflection.

The words were caught in my mouth, "I uh, we're just-left something on the trail."

She stepped closer to us, "All of you have to go?" she turned to Ashley, "You don't need to go back out there too, honey."

Jason pulled Ashley to him and began walking to the door. A growling noise froze us, and we looked up to see the kid holding onto the railing. He was showing his teeth and rocking back and forth. Suddenly he bolted back into his room.

I turned around and began pushing Ashley and Jason out the door.

We were just about to walk out of the house when suddenly, a woman began screaming upstairs.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading!<strong>

**Chapter 8 coming soon!**

**Please take the time to Review/Comment/Subscribe/PM or email me with questions or ideas!**

**Looking for more great reads? Check out my other stories or the author "Renowned Ardor"!**

_**- Legkicker**_


	8. Chapter 8: Surprises

"**Winter is evil and mad. It delivers a stinging, cold memory of summer's immense heat. Only this time it's much worse."**

* * *

><p><strong>A <strong>crash from the upstairs room kept us still. Then, a woman exploded through the padlocked door and tripped to the ground. She quickly got to her feet and began to run, but Tracy had her knife raised and charging.

"You bitch! Stay in your room!" Tracy shouted. Just as she was racing up the steps towards the woman, I had my pistol out and aimed at her back. I fired as she pulled back to swing. The woman screamed as Tracy tumbled backwards down the stairs, the knife clattering after her.

Then Steve ran out of the room holding a pistol. "You!" he pointed it to the woman, "You killed my wife!"

I knew where this was going, but I didn't have time to shoot. Jason did.

His rifle fired from the doorway and hit Steve in the side. Steve wobbled, and slipped over the railing to the first floor with a loud thud.

The woman stared at us, scared out of her mind. She had straight black hair, pulled into a ponytail behind her. Her skin was tan, and she wore a tight, long sleeved, blue and yellow plaid shirt. A nice pair of jeans hugged her legs. In my book, she was about as pretty as Ashley was. Unfortunately, she had a thin gash on her right cheek.

"Uh, good evening," I started slowly approaching her.

She backed up the stairs, not saying a word.

I reached up for my hat, but it wasn't there. It sat on the coat rack. I looked to Jason, and he tossed it to me. I guess my hat was part of my act.

"We're not with these people, and we're not raiders. We're travelers from…" I had to think to remember, "Red-Rock."

She shook her head, like she had no idea what that place was.

"Alright, who are you?" I asked cautiously.

She looked at each of our faces. "Jenny…I travel too."

I put my arms out with my hands palm up, "Good, then what do you say we get the hell out of here?"

Jason walked in front of me and put a hand up, "Now wait, we just cleared this house. Why not stay here?"

I looked at Tracy and Steve's dead bodies. "Good point, it is warm in here."

"The kid…" Ashley said.

"That's true. The kid is still here," Jason confirmed.

Jenny started walking down the stairs, "The kid is robotic. He does housework."

I walked to the base of the steps, looking up at his room. "In that case, Jason, Ashley, take care of him."

Jason chambered another round in the rifle and they trudged up to the room.

"My brother and sister, they're in that room," Jenny pointed to the padlocked door.

"Double time, guys," I said to them. I turned back to Jenny and held out and open hand.

"I think I can trust you…what about me?" I asked. She hesitated, and then gently placed her hand in mine, and we went back up. I cocked the hammer back on my .357 as we neared the blackened room. The light over the table had been turned off.

"What happened to the light?" I asked. A gunshot sounded from inside the kid's room.

Jenny spoke whispers into my ear, "I broke it trying to escape, but along the wall was a set of switches."

As we walked in, an overwhelming rotting stench hit me. I had to hold my breath for a minute while I felt around the wall for a switch. My hand searched around, and finally bumped into something. It was the switches, with the first switch up. I moved to the second and third switch, and flipped them on.

The lights took a moment, but they flicked on, cut out, and then stayed back on. I thought the stench was bad, but the visuals were way worse. The table was covered in blood, and everything else was splattered. There were various tools around the floor, bloody and broken, the walls were bloody, and the floors were stained.

"My god, what the hell happened in here?" I asked without taking my eyes off the surroundings.

Jenny squeezed my hand tight, and I heard her whimpering. "He…killed and ate people."

My stomach churned at the thought. My gaze slowly drifted to a white door with bloody hand prints on it.

"Are they in there?"

She covered her mouth, "I think so. We were tied up, blind folded, and our mouths duck taped. First thing I did once I got the rope undone from my hands was take off the blind fold. I wanted to scream so badly, I had to rip off the tape."

I shook my head in disgust as we approached the door. How could they pretend to be so nice…how did I almost eat human flesh sandwiches?

A small, sliver of white light poured under the door. It had no handle, so I gently pushed it open. I stopped short of entering, and pushed Jenny back out of the room. There was a man and a woman sitting against the wall with their necks cut open.

"What?" she asked.

I looked into her eyes and shook my head. I started to tug her out of the room, but she broke free and ran inside. I chased after her, and bumped into her inside the room. She just stared for a moment, and her legs began to wobble. I caught her before she fell, and carried her out of the room. She soaked my shirt with her tears as she sobbed hysterically.

Jason was standing in the hallway, talking to Ashley.

"He was gone, I don't know!" she said.

I stopped in my tracks, still holding Jenny. "Who was gone?"

"Steve, his body isn't there!" Ashley explained. I looked over the railing to see that Steve was in fact gone.

"How the fuck did you not see him get up?" I asked infuriated.

Ashley was about to answer, and I pushed Jenny into her arms. I leaped over the railing, crashing onto the sofa below.

"Wait! Josh! Where are you going?" Jason called after me.

I backpedaled and pointed to him, "Stay here!"

I ran into the kitchen, and saw the open window. I jumped up and swung my legs through it, crashing onto the snowy ground outside. I could see the footprints and blood trail leading into the woods. I began sprinting through the snowflakes, the moon still lighting the forest. After about 20 yards I spotted him, clutching his side and limping away.

I charged after him, and he turned around to see me coming.

"No! Stay back!" he shouted. He turned to shoot me, but I pounced onto his back and pulled him into the snow. Adrenaline pumped through my veins as I flipped him over to face me.

"N-no, please-"

I punched him in the face so hard it broke his nose. "Shut the fuck up! You disgust me!" I punched again, this time into his right eye. His head jerked back, and he slowly brought his hands up to defend himself.

"I killed your wife, and your kid. You gonna' eat them too?" I grab his wrist and began pushing it back, using my other hand to hold his arm in place. It cracked and he shouted.

"OH, Jesus!" he cried.

I backhanded his face, and began to unsheathe my knife, "He won't be answering your calls tonight, you're going to hell…"

I showed him the knife, and it flashed in the moonlight. "How do I go about skinning a human? Do I start here?" I jabbed the knife into his bullet wound and twisted it.

He jerked around, screaming in pain.

"Do you like hearing people scream? I love it!" I replied jabbing a new hole into his side. "I'm giving you a choice, either I keep stabbing until the sun rises, or you can shoot your worthless self!"

I pulled out my .357, grabbed his hands, and turned the barrel to his forehead. I placed his hands around the gun handle.

"End it! You fucking shoot yourself!" I ordered. I twisted his thumb to the trigger. He tried to fight back by pushing it my way, but it was useless.

"You coward! I bet everybody you killed would've loved this opportunity!" I shouted. "Oh, your wife would have!"

The man was crying and shifted around.

"Alright, here we go motherfucker!" I held the gun in place with one hand, and began to stab away at the man's leg. After about seven stabs, he pulled the trigger.

I took the gun, sheathed my knife, stood up, and turned around to face the others.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading!<strong>

**Chapter 9 coming soon!**

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**Looking for more great reads? Check out my other stories or the author "Renowned Ardor"!**

_**- Legkicker**_


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